Reviews

Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

Only show reviews with written explanations

Usually when a book gets a lot of credit for the lyrical language, it ends up being a book I'm not particularly fond of (Chime, The Underneath I'm looking at you). Ursu's writing, though, is on the spectrum of phenomenal writing somewhere in between those almost-poetry books and Rick Riordan. I kept interrupting my husband to read him some sections, like:

"Jack had moved in next door when she was six. She liked him right away because he replaced the girl who'd lived there before, a four-year-old who was always trying to convince Hazel to come ot her tea parties, where no talking was allowed. Plus he was wearing an eye patch. Hazel's six-year-old self was sorely disappointed when she found out that he didn't actually need one, but she quickly learned it was the wearing one that really mattered. This was a secret truth about the world, one they both understood."

LOVE. This book has not just language that is so beautiful, so flowing, with such perfect touches of humor, but it has the characters and the plot that others have left me lacking. This modern retelling of Hans Christian Anderson's "The Snow Queen" captures beautifully the haunting nature of Anderson's fairy tales. They exist somewhere between the fantasy and the real, creating an uncertainty and an unsettling atmosphere. I never rested easy for these characters, and remain somewhat unsure how much was fantasy and how much was the characters' imagination.

I've read a lot of children's, middle grade, and young adult fiction, both realistic and fantasy, and I've read a lot of books that I felt did an excellent job of capturing the inner mind of a child. Ursu blew them all out of the water. The awkwardness I felt at this age was so clearly and perfectly depicted here. I don't have Hazel's reasons for not feeling like I fit in, but I could identify completely with her discomforts and wanted it to all work out for her.

This book ended up on my to-read list because it popped up in Newbery possibility discussions frequently last year. I don't often question the Newbery choice, even if I'm surprised or dislike the winner out of personal preference, but this is by far the most distinguished book of the contenders that I've read.

anamustacho's review

Go to review page

3.0

Actual rating is 3.5stars

The title made me wonder if it was a retelling of Hansle & Grettle. It is not, not quite.
The story reminded me of many fairytales I read as a kid with multiple mentions of Narnia.

I am certain there is more to the story than meets the eye. But I am not analysing this right now.

Some topics & my key take aways:
- middle grade reading / 11 year olds
- depression
- letting go / friendships come and go
- Indian, adopted protagonist
- gore and creepy creatures and hardships
- kidnapping
- separated parents
- bullying
- hint of suicide without explixity mentioning it

velveteen_rabbit's review

Go to review page

adventurous emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

theseventhl's review

Go to review page

5.0

A beautiful, absorbing twist on the tale of the Snow Queen; a perfect read for middle school readers. I really wished the book was longer, I wanted to spend more time with Hazel and the author's lush prose. I'm looking forward to reading Ursu's trilogy of books.

bickie's review

Go to review page

3.0

Modern take on Snow Queen fairy tale with contemporary and classic fiction references woven in with other fairy tales' elements. Great book for middle grade readers who are ready to be a little challenged by their reading material. There is a lot that is perplexing in this novel, though not entirely; as though a lot of it is just out of grasp. Much like adolescence and growing up: things are familiar but entirely strange. Love the message of delving deep to know yourself and trusting what you find there. In Part I, there is a sad send-up of assembly-line schools and how they can be spirit-crushing to non-conformist, heart-driven people. age 8 or 9+

4saradouglas's review

Go to review page

3.0

Very strange book. I liked the overall plot well enough, but it's a plot as old as time, which is sort of what the book was about if that makes any sense whatsoever. The main character, Hazel, is a reader and makes SO many allusions to other stories (from Narnia and Wrinkle in Time to Coraline and The Wizard of Oz) which is sometimes fun but other times very distracting. If you haven't read every book she has read you'll just be left in the dust. I understand the idea of retelling fairy tales, but the author takes SO many different tales and throws them all together that there's not much to discover in this book. There was one touching moment near the end, but it was brief. I liked the characters, but that just wasn't enough to carry this book for me.